I'm a busy bee.... or girl?

I've got soooo much to do.  I dropped the class I was taking because I realized that it wasn't leaving me enough time to do things that are much more important.  For instance, studying for the GRE which kinda decides which graduate school I can get into.  I have about a month and a half until the GRE in Brussels.  I'm planning to stay at least an extra afternoon to sight see a bit.  Also, I have two conferences coming up.  Not only does that mean making two posters, but I have to finish my project this week!  Oh yeah, and it's Thursday already!  Needless to say, I've got some long nights ahead of me.  But I do have progress.  I already designed the first poster and made a lot of the images and looked up most of the equations that will need to be on there.  I also got the first step done into my project.  Only 4 more to go.  The next step is super easy, and the one after that shouldn't be too hard.  The third, I've never done before and looks really hard.  Also, the last step, I'm pretty sure my supervisor will end up doing. Oh well.  At least it will get done :)

Updates

1. On Saturday I made Chicken Parmigiana with the parmesan. lol.  It was quite good.
2. I am NOT allergic to gluten! Wooo!
3. I am VERY allergic to soy.... not woo.
4. People at Lawrence need to start updating me on their lives!!!!! Ok?  Ok. thanks.

cookies fail

I made no bake/Missouri cookies last night.  And only the ones I got out of the pan last set.  I'm so confused.  The one's out of the pan last are perfect and the ones out of the pan first are a gooey mess.  It's super weird.  Alex went home and to the dentist today.  So, I sent some of the set cookies with him to his parents.  I would go visit too, but his dad is sick.   Too bad I didn't have time to make soup!

Updates

So, I've eaten gluten once everyday the past three days.  I only got sick once, but that was after drinking three cups of coffee without eating anything first.  So, I'm ignoring that one.  Alex and I made homemade pizza on Tuesday night and on Wednesday I had croissants for lunch.  Maybe I can convince him to take me out to dinner today.  We need to do some shopping.  I need dress clothes for the conferences I'm going to.  I bought two dress shirts and a dress sweater to go over.  (This only totaled to 40Euro! yay bargain shopper!)  The button down shirts actually button all the way without making me look frumpy.  It's a miracle.  But I still need some dress pants.  I really need Khakis since I bought dark blue.  Plus I don't have khakis here or at home.  So, it'll be a good investment.  It's weird.  I think I will end up coming home with a few clothes that I bought here, but I think all of my clothes are going to be too worn out to bring back.  The same goes for my shoes.  I brought six pairs of shoes here, and it looks like only one of them is going to make it through.  I even bought a cute pair of sandals here that I don't think will survive the next few months.  My jeans are ripping apart.  My clothes have either gotten stained or ruined in the wash.  The washers here go up to 90degrees C!!!  That's 194 degrees F!!! What were they thinking?!  Hence some of my lighter colored clothes are not so light anymore, and will be donated to a second hand store before I leave.  The clothes my mom sent me will definitely come home, except for the undershirts.  They are already ripping!  I don't know why.  May be I need super-reinforced undershirts. lol

Well, work is going ok.  I just learned that my supervisor has been steering me in the wrong direction for almost a month!  Super frustrating.  His supervisor got really mad at him.  Now I have no idea what my set-up is doing.  It gives me data about 30% of the time.  I have no idea why it suddenly decides it's tired and gives up.  It's really weird.

I'm going to bake some Missouri cookies tonight after shopping with Alex.  I'll send some over with him to his parents.  (He's going during work because he has a dentist appointment or I would be going too.)  His friend is coming over later that night to watch a movie at the theater.  I cannot remember what it's called for the life of me!  Oh well.  I'm sure it will be fun.

New Stages

I've officially been gluten-free for three weeks! (minus a couple of slip ups)  Now it's time to test the diet.  So, I get to eat one meal with gluten in it a day and see if I notice a change.  I'll do this for one week, and if nothing changes.  I will eat all the bread that I want!  And pizza!  And cookies, cakes......  everything!  However, not quite everything is doing so well with my digestive system.  So, I think I am going to cut out soy entirely.  I've only been lowering it, and I've noticed that I still get sick after eating too much of it.  And hopefully that will help.  If not, I guess I will just keep a food diary... I suck at diaries though.  Hopefully it won't come to that.  Hopefully I can just be soy-free forever and my digestive system will be happy.

Well, to get off the topic of food.  Apparently my advisers don't think I am working hard enough.  I've been pulling 50-60 hour weeks between lab time and homework (which is still work by my boss's standards!).  They claim that I have made no progress lately.  This is merely because I took the entire set-up apart to make it even better.  Don't they know sometimes you have to take a step back to leap forward?  I think they're missing the point.  I've also really been neglecting my studying for the GRE.  I know I have an extra month now, but I really need to do this, and right now, I just don't have the time.  Even though I see that as the MOST important, it has the latest deadline of everything here.  So, it keeps getting pushed back to later.

My cousin, Christina, just moved in to college for the first time.  She sounds really excited.  She's also getting her cartilage pierced.  I remember when I got that done... Oh boy, that made me sound old. haha.  That reminds me the laser I'm working with right now is as old as me! haha.  I couldn't stop laughing once I figured that out.  It's starting to turn yellow and only come on some of the times you push the on button.

I know I keep promising pictures.  Truth is I have only a few, and I don't have the time to post them.  So, right now you will have to deal with words.  Hopefully I will take more pictures on mine and Alex's anniversary.  That way you can all see him.  But he is visiting school in April and home in the summer. Ahem  parents I hope that's ok :)  So you all should be able to meet him in person.  I have only one rule.  You must not scare him away.  mmk?  k.

Busy Busy Busy!

I made a list of all of the things I need to do in the next week and it's huge!!  I'm a little scared, but I know that I will get plenty of help along the way, and I'm pretty sure I can accomplish everything I need to and set aside things that aren't as urgent.  So far I need to read 10 chapters in one physics book and 10 in another.  I also need to go through a thermal physics review packet, do a homework set on quantum optics, and that's only for my class!  I also have a lot of work to do to be prepared for my posters.  And I have an important meeting tomorrow with a possible collaborator.  I did however find a journal that I may try to publish an article in this year.  It's specifically for undergraduates.  I'll tell you when to start crossing your fingers. :)

Alex had a presentation yesterday.  It was in Dutch.  So, I didn't go.  But, apparently everyone really liked it and asked him a lot of questions about the demo he made and shaping laser pulses.  It seems like he had a lot of fun.  And today we can finally have a meal together with just the two of us.  That hasn't happened in a while.

I'm starting to get really homesick hearing about everyone moving back in to school.  I'm sad that I can't help Christina, my cousin, move in for her first year.  It would've been nice to help her get prepared and teach her a few tricks.  I know she'll do well, even if she has withdrawels from her hampster. lol.  I also miss my tortoise.  So I can totally relate right now.  I also really miss the support group I have at Lawrence.  Between Maitland, Mari and Grace, I've had someone to turn to every time I needed to.  Not to mention Mia, and Claire (even though she's in Chicago now), and Carol, and Brad and Jessy... ok too many people to miss.  I also really miss Kappa.  I'm wearing my KKG sweatshirt right now to feel a little closer.  I miss the weekly meetings and hearing Susannah's interesting and a lot of times funny risk management tips.  I miss the excitement of recruitment and the fun of making caramel apples.  Maybe I'll host a mini caramel apple making session when I get back just for funsies.  And a movie night with Mulan and lots of Kappas and lots of popcorn. lol.  Maybe I'll just have to plan lots of fun things for when I'm back so that I don't feel like I'm missing out on too much. :)

Gotta Get To Work!

I'm officially signed up for two different conferences in about a month.  That means that I have a little less than one month to perfect my project at work and get it integrated into Erik's project which isn't quite done yet.  This was supposed to be done in December.  That was my old deadline.  Way to move it up two months.  Oh dear.  Now I'm nervous, especially since I just tore apart the entire set up (to try to make it better) and I still haven't been able to put it back together.  Soooo nervous.  Must get to work!

Epic Fail or Epic Sucess?

list of failures:
                  getting lost in the building I work in
                  choking on water
                  dropping a very expensive physics book
                  eating gluten

list of successes:
                    finished my homework early
                    may have got a collaboration with a university in Canada
                    Printed out some very useful study materials for the GRE
                    Read two sections in my quantum optics book


Well, it's 4 vs 4.  The glass is half full/empty.  Now, how to look at it.....

Rebuilding + Homework + Studying + Work = Busy

At work, I've started rebuilding my entire set up.  I had to change a lot of things anyway, and it would be nice to have it more condensed.  So, I moved the set up to behind the laser to save room.  I also switched the place where we put our sample to right next to the microscope.  Eventually, we will use a sample on the microscope instead of my sample holder now.  So, we are prepared for that step.

I just found out that the annual birthday party for my dad, my brother and myself happened last week.  I didn't even know about!  Of course it went back to just being for my dad and brother, like it was before I was born.  I guess we'll just have to have a mini birthday celebration in December where I can give them presents too! And maybe go to olive garden. MmmmMmmmm.


I have my second homework set due in two days.  I'm about 2/3 of the way done with it and I already have some of it written up as a final draft.  I have to make final drafts of physics homework.  When I'm figuring out the problems, I just make a mess on the page.  I can barely figure it out myself! haha.

I've been studying for the GRE, but I think I'm going to study in a slightly different way.  I've been taking the online quizzes instead of just studying what I think will be on the test.  This way takes a lot less time, and I think in the end it will tell me what I really need to study.  So far I have taken 3 out of about a million quizzes.  Okay, there's more like 50.  But that's still a lot!

I will try to get pictures up soon.  I have to remember when I'm on my laptop and not my work computer.  That's apparently harder than it sounds for me. lol.

Hungry!

I am hungry all the time on this gluten-free diet.  It's so frustrating.  I've been talking with my friend Ali, and she said that I should switch to brown rice instead of white rice.  Hopefully that helps a bit.  I'm snacking like crazy!  Also, I found this delicious garlic herb cheese spread for my sandwiches.  Never thought I would enjoy sandwiches for two meals a day!  I went to the canteen for dinner, and they didn't have much gluten free.  Normally their whole meal is gluten free, but they went for pasta and breaded chicken today :(  I probably looked really weird checking out with my kiwi, coke, and boiled eggs. lol.

I just read Nikki's blog about her friend's friend's (keeping up) miscarriage.  It was soooo sad. but bittersweet that "the first time he opens his eyes he sees Jesus." I almost cried and I don't even know these people!  I guess it kind of hit home for me a bit.  My biggest fear (for when I'm older. Don't worry.)  is that I will never be able to see my child.  I'm afraid of either having a miscarriage or dying during labor.  It's so scary!  I hate health class for freaking me out.  I've even considered adopting to avoid the whole issue.  Of course, I will have to come to an agreement with my future husband, in the future.  I really shouldn't be worrying about this now.  Alex and I have spoken of marriage, but he doesn't want to get married until after he gets his PhD, and I don't want to get married until I'm in graduate school at the earliest.  So, I've got at least two years until I should be worrying about this.  Why am I stressing now?  It's entirely irrelevant now.  ugh!

Well, Pistachio, my tortoise, seems to be doing very well with Mari and Maitland.  Maitland claims that he likes Mari better.  He may.  I know he hated my old roommate Carol.  He would hiss at her all the time.  Granted, she did hiss back and gave him the very attractive nick name Piss.  I know.  Lovely right?  I wish I had a picture of him here, and my dogs.  I brought pictures of my family, and I constantly am updating my computer background with new pictures of my nieces from Nikki's blog.  I guess I just am a little homesick.  It'll happen when you're half way across the world for almost 3months.  Wow!  It's been almost three months.  I'm almost half way into this project.  That's crazy, and kind of makes me feel like I need to get to work. lol.  Homework and studying for the GRE need to come first right now though.

I will try to start taking more pictures and post them, however, they will not be nearly as cute as the ones of my nieces.  Sorry, I'm no longer a little chubby girl with budding teeth or an adorable smiley baby.  Though I am smiley.. and maybe a little chubby. lol.  Certainly not as chubby as little Hannah though!  I have some pictures on my camera that should be posted.  They're of really cute monkeys at a monkey zoo I went to a while ago.  They actually let the monkeys come out with the people along with a few other animals.  Now, where did I put my camera?...

Progress!

Progress at work:  I improved the resolution of my camera by a little bit, and if I get more components, I can improve it by a lot more!  Exciting.

Progress in school:  I actually understand most of this homework set!  I just did the first three problems in half an hour.  And I know I got them right. Yay!!!  I have one little definition that I don't understand and I'll be able to do the next part.  After that I may need to do some reading.

Progress in life:  Well... that's general...  hmmmm....  My bike is getting fixed.  So, I will be able to get around quickly and easily soon once again.  I went to the contemporary choir rehearsal on Monday.  It was taught in Dutch and I actually understood what I was supposed to do most of the time.  It was surprising.  I'm going to the rehearsal for the classical choir tonight.  I will probably end up joining that one.  I like classical choirs a little better plus they have less people which is always nice when it comes to choir.

This weekend or next weekend I will be going to Alex's house to visit his parents and go see a movie with his friends.  I'm excited to get away for a weekend.  This place is a little too related to stress for me right now.  but it's a good work environment motivation wise at the moment.

Well it's almost lunch time, and I forgot my gluten-free bread at Alex's place.  So, I better get going.

Gluten Free week 2!

I can eat Dairy!!!!! wooo!!!!  Turns out I'm allergic to soy.  Leave it to soy icecream to help me figure that out. haha. so I had about two servings of dairy at once and didn't get sick.  Thus, I'm not allergic to dairy as far as I can tell.  But soy is evil and my new enemy.  But, now I know why I was randomly getting sick this past week.  I think it'll be really funny if I end up being allergic to soy and corn because those are the main stream substitutes for gluten and dairy.  That'd be entertaining.  I'm so excited to eat chocolate and ice cream and cheese and milk.....  I also found a little Chinese store that sells baking soda, crisco, and popping corn.  I've been dying without them.  My boss was very impressed that I found those within three months when she's been her twenty some years and hasn't found them! lol.

Class is HARD!!  Apparently I need background for the first assignment that I don't have.  It's taking forever.  I have two problems left and I'm just stuck on the math, but I can't make them work. I'm supposed to prove that this crazy function equals zero, but I'm 98% sure it doesn't.  grrr....  frustrations.  This kind of reminds me of Comp Mech.... huh.

Gluten Free Day 4

I have made it to day four, and I want chocolate!!!!! OMG I want chocolate.  And I found out that I can have dark chocolate which is the best kind anyway.  So, I better leave soon to go buy a ton!

Anyway I'm about to schedule the day I can take the Physics GRE.  Apparently Amsterdam is all full, and I will have to go to brussels which could be fun.

Alex is sick now.  One guess who's fault that is...  oh wait.  He's sick and kinda grumpy but really cute.  Work is slow, but hopefully I will make progress tomorrow.

Gluten-Free Day 3

So, I haven't died.  yay!!! But I have had a nasty cold for the past few days and they just don't have useful medicine here.  Oh well.  I took the day off yesterday, drank a lot of tea, took a couple of hot showers, and I feel a little better.

One thing I've learned is that gluten-free bread sucks.  It's just gross, at least the kind I have is.  I'm going to try and buy a different kind today, but that means I have to go into the city.  That's slightly more difficult since Alex borrowed my bike and ran over glass.  Now I have to replace the entire back tire.  We tried to patch it up, but the slice was just too big.  Hopefully I can just take the bus and get some tasty bread.  That's all I miss... well and cheese... and icecream.  OK apparently I miss a lot.... chocolate.... The milk is the more frustrating part.  I can do without the gluten.  There's gluten free bread and cookies and cereals and snacks and flour.  I just want my tasty milk back.  grrr.  This is going to be harder than I thought.  Even harder than when I was a vegetarian for a month and a half.  Oh that reminds me, they have this delicious bacon wrapped ground pork here.  It's so good.  I made a meat rub for the first time last night for it.  It turned out a little salty, but very tasty.

Other than that not much has been going on.  I narrowed down my colleges by a few, and I've been playing a lot of Mario Party.  Maybe I need a life... nah!